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Duchy of Vareth
The Duchy of Vareth is the southern remnant of the Kingdom of Vareth that has remained loyal to the royal family. After the death of Queen Paliona in 485 AC, the nation was splintered in the Varethian Civil War, and most of its northern territories formed into either Libervareth or the Gutharian Knights. Their primary population is made up of dwarves, humans, and some Gnoll tribes. An Uncertain Future When Queen Paliona died, the Kingdom seemed to lose a large amount of support and land almost overnight. It was said that when the courier bearing news about the death arrived at the family's court, the family had already known, and was focused on more on dealing the rebellions in the north. Queen Paliona's child and heir Symone Varethia was only 1 year old at the time of her death, and so the family entrusted regents to manage the rapidly-crumbling kingdom. The first appointed regent was Guttryn Tuff, a long-standing ally of the royal family. She took on the unenviable task of saving a kingdom by attempting to send diplomatic liasons to Steelshear and Guther, the capitals of Libervareth and the Gutharian Knights, respectively. While the diplomatic liason returned from Guther, the one sent to Steelshear has been missing. The news that the liason brought back was dire; the Knights were not interested in peace as long as there were lands that they had an interest in acquiring for themselves. Shortly before winter came, a detachment of Gutharians assaulted the relatively unprepared Castle Tuff. The ensuing siege only lasted for a week before the Varethian soldiers surrendered to their attackers. With another major loss, the Duchy has retreated its forces into the Silverlight Forest, and by late 485 AC began transforming the forest into a impassable barrier. General Attitudes Quite unlike their predecessors, Varethians belonging to the Duchy generally exhibit a sense of wariness and paranoia when it comes to meeting strangers for the first time. However, once a Varethian gets to know them they often open up and invite them into their homes. Any ideals of honor among the nobles and soldiers has, for now, been extinguished - they favor surviving by any means necessary rather than playing fair. Magic is openly practiced, but restrictions are placed on mages entering noble houses - a precaution adopted after the death of the Queen. Notable Features * Quick to Judge: Due to their current status, many Varethians have learned to quickly judge the intent of anyone they are talking to. They will often interrupt people mid conversation if they feel as if they have discovered the meaning behind the speaker's words. * An Old Friend: While officially the House of Jerome has not joined the Varethian Civil War, they have been supplying their long-standing ally with goods and equipment in an attempt to stave off the rebels. The Duchy has responded in kind, sending much of their navy to escort the eastern trade routes that the House has. * Adaptable: A Varethian is quick to adapt to changing scenarios. They are quite perceptive and during battle can switch tactics midway through a skirmish. They are also keen to adopt the most favorable side of a social encounter, but if there is a possibility to gain something they will not hesitate to pounce on it.